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Achham East Area Program

Sponsor a child

Program Type

Community Development

Planned Life Cycle

2014 - 2029

Location

Nepal

Areas of Focus

Livelihoods  | Education 

Program Timeline

Status: Active

Progress

255youth participated in life skills training through World Vision programs

Progress

229people participated in activities aimed at supporting child protection and ending violence against children

Progress

131children and adults were trained on child protection, including positive parenting, children's rights and early marriage

A white jeep driving through a muddy path, featuring a rainbow and trees in the background.

Program Details

Context

The Achham East community is home to almost 30,000 people, many of whom rely on natural resources and agriculture for survival. Changes in climate and disasters such as droughts, earthquakes, and landslides are impacting harvests and causing food shortages. There are few jobs available in the community, which often forces parents and sometimes children to migrate to large cities or other countries, such as India, in search of work.

In this community, girls and women are vulnerable and disadvantaged. Young girls are commonly subjected to early marriage. Roughly 15% of women were married before they were 15, while 64% first married between the ages of 15 and 19. They are often victims of gender-based violence and are discriminated against, especially in the areas of education, labour, and access to proper nutrition.

The Dalit, who were traditionally considered the lowest of the caste system, suffer the most in Achham East, and women in this caste all the more so. Although the government has banned caste-based discrimination, heavily engrained cultural customs are hard to break, and Dalit families and children are often excluded in society.

...
Challenges
Education
Another key concern in the Achham East community is education, especially when it comes to junior and senior grades. Schools lack qualified teachers, appropriate teaching aids, and proper facilities, and so offer poor learning environments. Classes are overcrowded and management committees don't devote time to improving the quality of education. Additionally, few community members are invested, which often results in poor organization and monitoring of students.

These factors have contributed to low enrolment and high dropout rates. Parents cannot afford school fees and lack awareness about the importance of education, so it is often not a priority. Other factors, such as the distance of schools from the community and the lack of extracurricular activities, decrease children's desire to learn.

For girls, discrimination based on their gender and practices such as early marriage prevent them from pursuing educational goals. Parents in the community lack understanding about the importance of preschool. As a result, children between the ages of three and five often go without early education, and therefore lack opportunities to develop important social skills.

Health Care
In Achham East, health and nutrition are key issues for children and families. Lack of awareness and information prevents mothers from eating well, both before and after childbirth. Pregnant mothers also lack proper information on safe behaviours, and often don't access health care services during pregnancy. Mothers often manage heavy workloads and are unable to properly feed their children. Malnourishment is becoming increasingly common, with limits to both sufficient quantity and quality of food.

Children under the age of five commonly battle illnesses like acute respiratory infections, scabies, and diarrhea, especially since the community lacks information on how to prevent, manage, and treat sickness. Financial difficulties and caste-based discrimination also prevent families from accessing health services. Health centres in the area often lack the proper equipment and resources to treat patients. As a result, families go to community healers instead of to health centres when children get sick.

Child Protection
In Achham East, the wellbeing, safety, and protection of children is another important issue. Not only do children suffer from not having their most basic needs met, including nutrition, proper shelter, and health care, but they are also at risk of harmful social practices. Children not in school are at risk of child labour, which can be dirty, dangerous, and degrading. The community does not prioritize child protection, and as a result, many children are left vulnerable and voiceless....
Plans
Education
To ensure children can access and benefit from quality education, World Vision will assist the community to:
  • Improve schools learning environment, the quality of education, and teachers child-friendly methods.
  • Increase child participation in school and promote the importance of education and life skills.
  • Develop existing preschool centres to benefit children under the age of five.
  • Promote the importance of early childhood education among parents and community members.

Health Care
With the partnership of Canadian sponsors and the community, World Vision will work to:
  • Improve feeding practices to decrease malnutrition and ensure the proper growth of children.
  • Promote safe and healthy habits for new and expecting mothers, as well as nutritional training.
  • Ensure children are protected from common diseases and provide information on prevention methods.
  • Train community members in hygiene and sanitation practices to improve the health of children and families.

Child Protection
To ensure children and youth enjoy a safe and protected environment, World Vision will work to:
  • Partner with vulnerable children and their families to plan activities that will benefit their growth and inclusion in the community.
  • Ensure that vulnerable children and families are empowered to participate in community development programs.
  • Increase community-led monitoring of children to measure their health, wellbeing, and education status.
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An image of children sitting on the ground in a classroom, writing in workbooks.

Results

Unless otherwise stated, data presented on this page reflects the most up-to-date results of World Vision Canada programs reported between October 2022 and September 2023, and any previous fiscal years available. Previously reported data may not match the current presentation as we continuously receive and refine data from our programs. If you have any questions, kindly reach out to us.